The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook*

by Shannon Barczak

  See if a vampire is immune to that I smirked to myself. I pictured grabbing Mathias’s underwear and yanking it up his nicely rounded bum as I walked past him through the door and into the castle.

  "By the way Princess, I don't wear underwear,” he said smugly as he walked briskly past me

  “Neither do I, especially, when I’m wearing a dress.” I said as I swayed my hips, fluttering my skirt around me. I mentally chalked up a point for me when he stopped dead and looked at me with his hooded eyes.

  My smile fell though, when I reached the living room and saw all my family gathered there.

  The sight of them quickly brought me back down to earth, and I took a deep breath and started to tell them my tale.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I stood in front of my family and tried calmly to explain what I found. It was surprisingly difficult. I wanted to give them hope, but I also had to give them the news that the Rau was not our only enemy anymore. I felt guilty because, in a way, this was my fault.

  Me and my freaky hybrid power’s fault that is.

  I kept my head down mostly; I didn’t want to see my Uncle Cuddy’s reaction to the fact I stole something from his house. Nor did I want to see the tears that I instinctively knew were pouring down my mother’s and Rhoswen faces. When I finished talking, I finally looked up to see everyone staring at me, but instead of censure, it was looks of gratitude.

  “Well, thank goodness you’re not opposed to a little thievery; otherwise we might never have discovered the book. Good job Willa.” Oliver said cheerfully trying to lighten the mood.

  “Now it all makes sense,” Rhoswen said. “None of us could ever figure out why she would run off and do something so foolish."

  “So what do we do?" asked Oliver. “What’s the plan?"

  “Let’s calm down and try to let this all sink in before we go rushing about with a plan." Winifred said

  “Dad?” I asked as I took in his rigid stance by the windows with his arms crossed.

  “I’m sorry," he began. “I’m sorry but I cannot do this. I cannot allow my daughter to be put in this situation. Especially one that is from a vision that someone had several months ago."

  Geez, are you two related? I asked Mathias pushing my question into his mind

  I told you to stay out of my head was his only reply

  You also told me to stay out of Riah’s bed. I replied. Wow, just kidding, Wolfie

  “Dad, I understand you have concerns but we have to do this.” I said earnestly

  “May I see the book?" Uncle Cuddy asked quietly

  “Of course,” I said, holding it out to him. When he took it, I saw tears in his big blue eyes.

  “Willa, I want you to tell us more about this vision you had,” my mother asked

  “Yes. I am most curious about that myself." Winifred agreed

  “I saw a woman. Her face was shrouded, as well as the Fae Lord she was talking too,” I started

  “Why do you think he was a Fae Lord?" my father asked

  “Because she mentioned coming into the Fae realm and addressed him as my Lord." I answered

  “Go on sweetheart,” Cecily prompted

  “She said that everything was going according to plan. The Rau had contacted her about putting their most recent captives under a spell. They wanted to learn about whatever they could so they can break down the barriers. She cautioned them that even though they had a member of the royal guard and two royal family members in their possession, they may not be aware of what spells and enchantments are in place around the island."

  “She told them that what she can do is to find out what some of the protocols were, where the Guardians were most likely to be, shifts, routines, that kind of stuff. The Rau seemed satisfied with that. She also conveyed to them that in the spring when she and the Lord are here she was confident she could break the magical barriers and let them on the island."

  “Is that all?" Oliver asked

  “No, he also asked her to find out if they were aware of me. He said it was imperative that they never know that there is a Fae-Gypsy child alive. She told him that as far as she was aware they did not know,” I paused for a second. “Then she made him promise her again that when ‘war’ broke out on the island and I was captured and brought back to his realm, that he would transfer some of my power to her. He agreed, and she left."

  “And you never saw their faces?" Rhoswen asked

  “No, their voices sounded funny too, muffled almost." I replied perplexed

  “Hmmm, sounds to me like they are trying to conceal their identities. A simple spell will do the trick, even in a sightseer's vision." Winifred said

  “Well, we should inform Queen Sidra at once. There might be a traitor in her midst, and she needs to be aware of this immediately.” Rhoswen said

  “I agree." my father said

  “I don’t." I interjected.

  “Sweetheart, we must tell...” my father started

  “No,” I interrupted. “We can’t say anything right now. If the Queen and her guards start poking around and asking questions, it will get back to them. Then they’ll know we are on to them and their plan. They may even warn the Rau, which could put Julia, Gussie and Leona in more danger. The best thing to do is to carry out the rescue mission as planned by Julia. We have to do this as soon as possible, and the fewer people that know, the better."

  “The Rau will have no use for this witch if we succeed and they may not see her value,” Mathias said

  “That still doesn’t stop them from coming to the island. When they arrive here, they might continue with their plan and contact the Rau.” Jeremiah finally spoke.

  “Yes, but without knowing certain security measures that are in place, the Rau may be less inclined.” Mathias countered

  “So you agree Mathias? You agree with this plan?" Cecily asked

  Mathias looked somewhat exasperated. “No, I don’t but the fact is there's something bigger here than just the Rau. Both Julia and Willa have had visions of this witch and Fae Lord. As much as I would like to discount it, I can’t. It’s my job to check into every credible threat."

  “How do they even know about Willa already?" my father asked frustrated

  “It could be the Fae; it could be the Guardians, and it could be just about anyone.” I answered

  “Guardians? Surely you don’t believe any of the Guardians on the island would betray us." Winifred admonished

  “No, but we can’t be too careful. We need to get them back. I think that only a few people should be aware of this right now." I said

  “Impossible. We are going to need all the help we can get." Mathias said

  “Fine, then just the royal guard," I said before another thought came to mind. “Can’t we administer a truth spell on them just to be on the safe side?”

  “Willa,” Cecily said shaking her head in disbelief

  “If they're on our side and are loyal to us, they won't have a problem with it. Those that do are suspect, and we erase their memory of our questioning and lock them in a cell until we get back." I asserted

  Now you are acting like a Queen, Mathias said almost proudly in my head

  “Mathias round up the guard, you, my mom and Granny Winnie start questioning them. Jeremiah, I need you to dig up what you can on that address. Google Earth it, dig into the real estate records, and see if you find any old pictures or blueprints of the building. The address is in London, so I’m sure there has got to be some record of the building and its current owners. As soon as the guard gets the all clear they will help you." I ordered

  “Dad, Rhoswen, I want you to start writing down everything you know about the Fae Lords and any witches that you may have heard about in Fairlia. Oliver, you, Uncle Cuddy, and I are going to go over what we need to take for supplies. If Frank’s wife is being starved, she’s going to need blood right away. We’re also going to need cell phones and a rental car delivered nearby just in case."

  “This isn’t just ab
out Aunt Gussie and Julia, this about the future and safety of the clan.” I said reflectively. I didn’t notice right away that everyone had fallen silent and was looking at me with slacked jaws.

  “What are you all looking it? I’m more than just a wiseass, pretty face,” I said

  “All right, you heard Willa, let’s get to work.” Mathias had said before he left the room with my mother and Winifred in tow.

  Uncle Cuddy approached me, and my heart dropped at his sad face. If there was anyone in the world I never wanted to see the look like that it was my loud, obnoxious, uncle.

  “We’re going to bring my girls home?" he asked tearfully

  "You bet your ass we are." I said determinedly

  He gave me a small smile and went over to talk to Jeremiah and Oliver.

  I just hope we all make it back alive, I thought to myself.

  No more than forty minutes had passed and Frank, Serena, Riah and Kathleen came to the living room where we had set up our little base of operations. My dad and Rhoswen were in one corner, conferring quietly with one another. Jeremiah already had two laptops, a printer, and several sheets of paper strewn around him on a small table that he had commandeered from the neighboring study.

  Oliver, Cuddy and I were making lists of supplies and had just started talking about contingency plans when our new arrivals showed up with their offers of help.

  “Willa,” Frank said, interrupting a little argument that Cuddy and I were having on packing gummy bears for Aunt Gussie.

  “Hi Frank." I said solemnly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know that you were married, much less, that your wife was the Guardian, who went with Julia."

  “Thank you." he replied thoughtfully before his face broke out in a wry smile. “It’s exactly something my wife would do. Going on a mission where she knew she would be captured, sacrificing her own wellbeing on a vision that a twenty four year old girl had. Don’t get me wrong, I adore our Julia, but when you are dealing with sightseers, things can change in a heartbeat."

  “Julia is one of the best though,” Serena said. “I’m so mad at her. Why didn’t she ask me to go? I would have rather been locked up in some cell these past few months, then being stuck here, racked with guilt."

  “Why Serena, I’m hurt. Does that mean our time together has meant nothing to you?" I asked in mock indignation.

  "Oh Willa, no,” Serena said. “That’s not what I meant...” her voice broke off uneasily

  "I’m just teasing you.” I reassured her. “Serena, she didn’t ask you to go for the simple reason that you weren’t in her vision to be there. I don’t claim to understand about this whole seeing the future thing, but I assume that if you go around changing too much there’s bound to be consequences."

  “She’s right." Riah agreed. “Just imagine what would have happened if Julia had told me of her visions of Willa. Then I would have gone charging to the States to retrieve her, and we might be lying in bed right now instead of standing here."

  “Oh, if only that were my fate,” I said wistfully

  “We can make the whole lying in bed thing happen very quickly.” Riah said

  "Tempting but we have bigger fish to fry." I answered

  “Bigger than me? I think not." he said confidently

  Serena rolled her eyes. “So what can we do?"

  “Well, first you and Frank should go look at the book. There are a few little notes written from Julia to both of you. You may want to read them." I suggested gently

  They both silently walked over to where Jeremiah was working. They hesitated slightly before, taking the offered book from his hands.

  “Word is you were the one behind the enhanced interrogation techniques." Riah said casually

  “Surprised Lord Hawkins?" I said flirtatiously

  "Not really, although it sounds more like Mathias’s style, the whole not trusting anyone. There is much more to you than meets the eye isn’t there?"

  “And what an eyeful I could give you,” I said batting my eyes

  “I could only dream of such occasion,” he smiled, “Curious though, I find it odd how protective he is of you. Guardian Worthing is not known to show, shall we say preference to anyone, but you?” He shook his head. “Let’s just say, he acts differently when you're around him."

  “I have no idea what you're talking about Riah. The only thing I’ve noticed is that he is a bigger pain in the ass when I’m around him."

  “That’s why it’s so interesting. Usually Mathias is indifferent but when you're in his presence, he’s engaged." Riah said

  “Never noticed,” I said nonchalantly. Riah may be my friend, but no way was I going into the complexities of my relationship with Mathias.

  “It was hard not to see, especially, in the interrogation room. Before the Queen lifted the truth spell on me, Mathias jumped in with a question of his own."

  “Oh God,” I said with dread. “What did he ask?"

  “He asked whether we had been intimate." Riah answered

  “Of course he did,” I mumbled. “What did you say?"

  Riah grinned, “Not yet."

  I laughed. “I’m sure that got a good reaction."

  “Yeah, I’m not sure if Mathias, your mother and grandmother were the best recipients of that answer."

  “Go help Jeremiah,” I ordered and made my way back over to my little group. Serena and Frank were still poring over Julia’s journal.

  “Now Willa, Gussie loves gummy bears, you have to take some with you. Poor thing has been holed up in a room for a year with those awful people. I’m sure that they haven’t been giving her what she needs, and my Gussie needs her gummy bears." Cuddy ordered

  “I’m going to open a portal in her room and Mathias will throw her through the mirror into your waiting arms. For Christ’s sake Uncle Cuddy, if you want to have gummy bears on the ready, so be it but I’m not carrying a bag of candy into a rescue mission. I’m not freaking Willy Wonka."

  “Julia enjoys those little candies, what are they? They come in a small box, their tiny little pebble things,” he said

  “Little pebble candy things?" I said sarcastically. “Maybe I should I call in the Oompa Loompas while I’m at it to see what else they have in their candy bag for this mission.”

  “Oompa Loompa Doopity Doo,” Serena clasped her hand over her mouth before saying, “Oh no, I’m turning into you."

  “I’m going to take that as a compliment,” I smiled brightly before singing, “Like the Oompa, Loompas, Zippity Doo!"

  “I’m glad to see you are working so vigilantly." Mathias remarked as he entered the room.

  “Oompa Loompa, dippity doo, lend me your ear, I have a story for you," I continued singing, “What do you get when you have a big stick up your ass?"

  “Lovely as always, the Guardians have all passed the truth spell Cecily and Winifred administered, so we’ll be taking over,” he said

  “Uh, nope, sorry, we already have done quite a bit of work in the last hour. If you would like to invite the commandos to come up here, that’s fine but we’re all in this together." I said

  “We have more room and resources at our disposal in our offices below the garage...”

  “Great!" I said. “We’ll pack up and head down to the office. Riah, Serena, can you help Jeremiah gather his stuff? Oh and Frank? Can you bring the book?" I asked. “Dad and Rhoswen can probably stay here."

  “They should go to the library, there's a small section of books in the archives on Fairlia and the Fae in general.” Jeremiah offered. “There might be something there.”

  “I would be more than happy to help with the research,” Kathleen offered

  “Good idea,” I agreed before turning to Mathias, “This is going to be super, and can we share an office? Maybe we can put two desks together facing each other? Oh and do you have a radio or docking station for my iPod? I need to have music when I work."

  I breezed out of the room with Frank, after giving my dad a quick peck on the cheek, fe
eling energized. This was going to work, I thought, we are really going to do this. I impulsively grabbed Frank’s arm and continued walking, lost in thought, as we made our way to the Guardian offices to continue our planning.

  Last time I was here I was so focused on meeting the two Rau for the first time I didn’t take much notice to the subterranean Guardian offices located below the garage. We walked through the main door and entered a small reception area with a desk and a few chairs. The walls were a stark white and off the reception area there were four different corridors, two hallways on either side of the desk and two off to the left and right.